The Pathway from Idea to Success

How can brand builders move from concept to success? Write down the steps that you need to carry out and then do them. This was the advice John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of Paul Mitchell and The Patrón Spirits Company, had for the audience at the Professional Beauty Association/Cosmoprof Beauty Pitch finals.

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Speaking on stage to outgoing PBA chairman Scott Buchanan, DeJoria said that successful people do the things that unsuccessful people don’t want to do. Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, DeJoria’s co-judge at the event, added that companies usually fail from a lack of effort, not money.

What Makes You Different?

Despite the range of digital tools available to today’s beauty entrepreneurs, Cuban said that entrepreneurship is still all about preparation and effort. Part of this preparation involves knowing just what it is that makes you different.

DeJoria urged entrepreneurs to retain enthusiasm through every step of the product development and marketing process and ask themselves: how in love are you with your brand or service? As Cuban put it: No one thinks they have a bad idea.

While ideas are often the focus of innovation, they are in fact a relatively minor component of success compared to execution. He added that entrepreneurs have to “work like someone’s trying to take it from you—because they are.”

Take Advantage of Smallness

When you’re little, you can change “immediately,” you have agility, said DeJoria. While funding platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo can act as instant focus groups for ideas, DeJoria encouraged entrepreneurs to move their business along as far as possible before taking money from anyone else.

Based loosely upon “Shark Tank,” the ABC television show featuring Cuban, Beauty Pitch put the spotlight and pressure on a range of beauty upstarts: 100% Pure, 18.21 Man Made, Hair Construction, LightStim and Zenagen. The winner would be the startup with the best idea and strongest overall entrepreneurial spirit.

The brand’s fruit pigment technology has been applied to color cosmetics, infusing products with color, antioxidants and other nutrients. The company uses a cold process for its botanicals, Wang said, adding that 100% Pure’s products have two to three years of shelf life.

The brand’s products are sold at a prestige price point (1 fl. oz of eye cream retails for $25.00). About 80% of current sales are business-to-consumer, online and at select retailers. Wang noted the company is seeking to expand its business-to-business sales.

Beauty Pitch featured another brand that took cues from the spirits world. Men’s grooming brand 18.21 Man Made has designed its packaging for its fortifying shampoo, conditioner and body wash all-in-one products in whiskey/moonshine-inspired bottles.

The brand’s founders took the stage to discuss their products, which feature tobacco scents. Typically sold via the salon channel, about 80% of the brand’s products are sold to women for men. 18.21 Man Made recently launched a fragrance; its first 5,000 units sold out before they shipped from the factory.

Tech-enabled Beauty

DeJoria noted that technology has allowed the salon industry to track product performance and display how products work. Cuban added that technology is making people more aware of products, and so salons and brands must be aware of what consumers are watching/connecting with—these outlets will impact overall satisfaction.

The Beauty Pitch featured hair Construction’s Stylez App and LightStim LED light therapy for wrinkles, acne, hair regrowth and pain. About 85% of LightStim’s sales are to professionals, including its light-activated skin care line. In addition to various handheld devices, the company has developed LED beds.

Hair Construction’s Stylez App is a salon client curation and engagement technology for mobile and desktop. The technology offers consumers multiple views of sample cuts and allows them to match looks with celebrity styles to ensure an ideal match.

These selections can lead to salon listings featuring consumer reviews. Once an appointment is made, the app provides the hairdresser with a client photo, style selection and product sale suggestion. Available in multiple languages, the app can be integrated into booking platforms. The next generation of the technology will adapt to the facial shapes of users.